THE NEED HAS NEVER BEEN GREATER

When Covid-19 hit, Chelsea quickly became a hotspot and has one of the highest infection rates in the U.S. to date. The economic, social, and health impacts have been dire—exacerbating many issues the city has long struggled with including unstable and unaffordable housing, food insecurity
and low wages. To paint the picture:

• Even before the pandemic, more than 60% of Chelsea residents were food insecure and nearly 1 in 5 were living in poverty. With skyrocketing rates of unemployment, these numbers only continue to grow.
• More than 60% of Chelsea residents are unemployed. Many worked in the hospitality industry—jobs among the first to go, leaving many without an income.
• Approximately 15,000 Chelsea residents do not qualify for federal support.

CHELSEA EATS IS FILLING THE GAP

Chelsea Eats is a community-wide effort to create a new and sustainable model of food relief. Led by the City of Chelsea and collaborating with philanthropy and community partners, the goals are:

• To increase enrollment in federally-funded programs (SNAP, WIC, etc.)
• To grow the USDA Emergency School Meals program serving Chelsea kids
• To provide locally-prepared meals for residents under quarantine or recovering
• To distribute prepaid debit cards to support the most vulnerable Chelsea residents

In November, we launched our boldest effort yet: piloting the largest guaranteed income program in the country. Approximately 2,000 families are receiving $200–$400 per month to help pay for their basic needs.

This guaranteed income pilot will provide essential insight into the impact of flexible financial resources for people in need. We’ve partnered with the Harvard Kennedy School to study the impact
and hope that the knowledge gained will help advocate for future guaranteed income programming.  This topic is sure to become a vital part of the country’s Covid-19 recovery discussion.

YOU CAN HELP

Be a part of the change. Your donation will support Chelsea residents in need – $400 supports an entire family for a month. Together, we can make sure that all of our neighbors have what it takes to make it through—no matter what the future holds.